Mains water stop tap responsibilities

Apologies if this is the wrong forum section for this question. The question revolves around Bristol Waters responsibilities.

We are having building renovations on our property and need to turn the water off at the mains. At present there is no mains water stop tap in the road outside the property.

I phoned Bristol Water and they sent an engineer to find it, if it existed and where it might be. They visited over a month ago and marked a spot on the pavement where they supposed it might be, underneath tarmac. The engineer said that they would be back in the a week to fit a stop tap.

5 weeks later I phoned the water company to chase the installation. They said that it was not their responsibility to fit a tap as the property predates 1945? Before then it was the house builders responsibility and that I should install one within my own property bounds. This does not seem logical.

What are the water companies responsibilities in this situation?

Any informed advice would be appreciated.